HUBBALI: A pre-wedding photoshoot keeping the theme of Jnanpith awardee poet D.R Bendre is now making heads turn after the photos went viral on social media.
Appreciation is being showered on the couple and the photographer who brought the essence of romance from Da Ra Bendre's poems, and reflection of North Karnataka to life through their pictures.
For the couple, Chetana Desai and Nikil Maggavi from Dharwad, who are tying the knot on April 23, there were many reasons to choose Bendre and his photos around his poems.
Chetana is a neighbour of Bendre ajja in Sadhankeri of Dharwad and her family has been closely associated with Bendre's family for generations.
The photo theme not only takes one to the era when Bendre visualised and wrote poems on people from day to day life.
The most unique feature of the shoot is the traditional hat, umbrella, and grama-fone were actually used by Bendre ajja himself and they were borrowed from the family for the shoot.
Harshad Uday Kamath, founder of Yuva Art Studio and a photographer from Dharwad is a known name among pre-wedding shoot enthusiasts after many of his theme-based shoot pictures went viral.
"The couple had decided to have a theme showcasing life in North Karnataka. As Chetana is a neighbour of Bendre ajja we decided to choose a theme based on poems penned by Bendre himself," Kamath said.
The team took the famous poems of Bendre including "naanu badavi, aata badava, olave namma baduku (we are poor, but the love and affection is our life).
"I had created a village-based theme for pre-wedding shoots in the past. But this was something new as we were planning to bring a literary figure into picture. It was a great gesture by the family of Bendre who allowed us to use belongings that were originally used by Bendre himself," he added.
The couple and their family are pleased with the outcome of the shoot after the pictures had a good response on social media.
"As we live next door to Bendre's house Sadhanakeri our families are close for generations now. I address the daughter-in-law of Bendre ajja as kaaku. For childhood I am inspired by the stories of Bendre ajja that are told or discussed at our house. Hence its a proud feeling to having done a photoshoot which is inspired by Bendre ajja," said Chetana Desai.